Going Home
by R.O.TR
Summary: A young pony boards a train, only to find herself sharing a cabin with Pinkie Pie- and all she wants to do is go home.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of My little Pony, Hasbro and co do

_Author's note: the OC ponies name was something I found cute, and she isn't related to the Apple family of the show. _

* * *

**Going Home**

Chapter One

Moon Apple was certainly not the most noteworthy pony in the long varied history of ponies. She kept her hair cut relatively short, considering the long manes found on other mares far too girly and improper. She was not gifted with wings, or the power of magic, she was just a normal earth pony. She found her own name to be deeply embarrassing, but was far too fond of her family to ever consider changing it.

And now she found herself going home. She had been working hard in this strange new town for some time; helping various stores in the marketplace improve their income (even her job was unimpressive). For the first time in several years she actually found herself looking forward to the holiday period- though of course she still had a particular disdain for snow. That white stuff was so disruptive!

She stepped through the train station doorway, holding her case close to her as she approached one of the station ponies.

"Do you have a ticket?" asked the young stallion at the train station kiosk.

"Yes, right here," she said holding up the ticket for the stallion to see. "A one way trip home for the next few months."

"How nice," said the kiosk worker in a bored manner.

Moon Apple gave a faint huff of disapproval as she trotted away from the kiosk, hoping the worker would hear her. She was quick to reach the station platform which was surprisingly empty- she hadn't been expecting manic rush hour, but she had thought there would be more ponies present. The carriages and train were in place, resting as the train operator stocked up on various fuel supplies up front.

She gave the briefest nod to the conductor and stepped on board the train, again holding up her ticket to show off clearly. She didn't want any misunderstandings; she just wanted to go home. She walked along the narrow footway, passing several empty compartments as she trotted along the carriage. Finally she chose the cabin with the nicest looking beds and stepped inside, closing the door behind herself.

She sat down and pulled her suitcase up onto the bed, opening it and starting to shift through the contents. Having been carrying the suitcase with her mouth, she found it a pleasure to finally be free of that weight. She looked down and sighed- so much paperwork to deal with. She'd have to make a dent in this work before she arrived or she would have to ignore her family for at least a solid week!

As she sat there on the bed, trying to comprehend the unclear hoofwriting of somepony from work she became aware of a clip-clopping sound outside. She didn't glance up as she heard the cabin door slide open.

"I have a ticket, I showed it to the conductor," she said in a muffled voice, holding a piece of paper in her mouth.

"Is that bed taken?" asked a high pitched voice.

Shocked, this time Moon Apple did look up from her suitcase. A pink pony with a tiny backpack stared back at her. After a few seconds pause she again directed her attention towards the empty bed opposite Moon Apple.

"There is a whole load of empty sections next door, and along the rest of the carriage," said Moon Apple.

"Where's the fun in that? Travelling is boring if you're all by yourself. You get lonely!"

"Well actually I'm fine with it, there's really no-," said Moon Apple as the newcomer promptly dumped her backpack onto the empty bed.

"Huh," she said to herself, more than slightly annoyed at being ignored. So much for having some private time.

"What's your name? Mine's Pinkie Pie, nice to meet you, isn't this a cool train?"

"Yes, I guess so," said Moon Apple, shoving the piece of paper back into her suitcase as Pinkie leaned over to try and look at it.

"Working hard huh?" asked the newcomer.

"Well that was what I wanted to do…"

"You don't want to work too hard now," said Pinkie. "It is the holiday season now…well almost now. Time for families and friends and fun! Not boring old work."

"Yes of course." This pony wasn't going to take the hint and leave was she?

"Oooo you still haven't told me your name. I bet it's pretty," said Pinkie.

"Moon Apple," she muttered in reply.

"Moon Apple? That's an odd combination," said Pinkie. She suddenly had a shocked look cross her face. "Do you think there are actually apples on the moon?"

"I wouldn't know."

"But then again would there actually be apples up there? The moon is all grey and stuff and not blue or green. Apples would need water wouldn't they?"

"I guess so."

"And air too I guess, that would probably be important," said Pinkie, now deeply enthralled in the conversation. "And I don't think there are any farmers up there, so how would they be harvested? One of my best friends worked on an apple farm but I bet she never worked on the moon!"

"That wouldn't be a surprise," said Moon Apple sarcastically. She guessed now all she could hope for was that this 'Pinkie Pie' would be getting off at the next stop and then she could get some peace. She was almost about to ask Pinkie's destination when the pony started talking again.

"Actually I doubt there'd be any apples on the moon, I mean Nightmare Moon lived up there for so long, no other pony would get anywhere near the moon would they? And Luna never mentioned anything about apples- but I did once see her eat one!"

"Ok…then…," was Moon Apple's slightly puzzled reply. What was a Nightmare Moon? Was it some kind of folk tale from one of the smaller villages in Equestria? Yet at the same time it did sound a little bit familiar. She tried to think where she had heard it before, she was starting to get a tingling, a recollection, it was coming back-

"Hey, can you hear that the train's starting!" said Pinkie, interrupting her thoughts. Again.

Annoyed at the interruption Moon Apple was at least grateful that the train had finally started moving. The sooner they left the station, the sooner this _other_ pony would get off the train, and the sooner she would have some peace and quiet to work.

Hopefully.

"Bye-bye station!" called out Pinkie as the train left the town and entered the countryside.

"Why don't you try and sleep?" suggested Moon Apple hopefully.

"Boooring!" came the reply.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

"And Twilight Sparkle, she was always the smart one," said Pinkie as her story reached its fiftieth minute. "She always liked her books and had a horn because she was a unicorn pony with all those cool magic powers! It was so funny when she tracked me to see how my Pinkie sense worked!"

"Your friend…tracked you?" asked Moon Apple. Given Pinkie's personality she guessed she couldn't exactly be surprised that somepony might try and track her. They'd probably want to find out just how exactly Pinkie worked. Probably lived off of candy and sugar thought Moon Apple smugly to herself.

"Oh wow!" said Pinkie noticing the time on the clock in the cabin. "I've been talking for so long and I haven't really asked anything about you have I? I'm such a silly pony aren't I?"

"Oh no it isn't anything to worry about; I don't really have any interesting stories…like you do. I'd just bore you."

"I could be the judge of that!" said Pinkie. "You had work didn't you? So you're probably a hard working pony going home for the holiday's right?"

"Yes I am," said Moon Apple. "I'm going home for the holidays to meet up with my family."

"Oooo that must be nice," said Pinkie. She paused for a moment as though thinking over something, her eyes glanced around briefly and she momentarily looked troubled. Moon Apple almost grimaced- was this pony about to ask some silly question or say some silly statement?

"I'm going home for the holidays too, I've only been gone a little while yet it still feels so long!"

"I guess being away from home and friends can be a bother," said Moon Apple. At least this line of conversation had Pinkie lowering her voice to a more acceptable level. Slightly.

"Yeah I've really missed home!" said Pinkie. "I just wanted to go travelling for a week because it was my pre-holiday holiday time. I travelled it up Pinkie Pie style! But now that's over."

"A constant holiday would just get boring," said Moon Apple. The idea of such a thing sounded ghastly and tedious to her. She was looking forward to returning home but the idea of such laziness lasting forever and never having work to return to sounded monotonous and unfulfilling. So very dull.

"Oh I don't know about that," said Pinkie. "A constant holiday with my friends would have been really really fun. But then again I wouldn't have met you today!"

"Yeah…imagine that…"

Of all the weeks this Pinkie pony could have chosen to go on holiday why did she have to choose last week thought Moon Apple to herself. She could have been home free to travel in peace. But then again knowing her luck she would have just ended up running into Pinkie on the way back, paths crossing after the loud pony changed her plans. She guessed that at least this way she wouldn't be heading back to work in a bad mood. And being around her family and friends would quickly make the bad memories of this journey go away.

"You do get to have your whole holiday off don't you?" asked Pinkie. "You don't have to worry about work when you get back home right?" she asked.

"Well I just have a little bit of work to do," came the reply as Moon Apple eyed her suitcase. She probably wouldn't have any work to do at home if this annoying Pinkie hadn't chosen this cabin and interrupted her. She had just overestimated how much she would actually be able to do on the train.

"Oh that's a shame!" said Pinkie. "A holiday just isn't a holiday if you have to do work!"

Moon Apple's eyes glanced down to the floor as she tried to hide a sigh. She just about succeeded in doing so- or at the very least Pinkie didn't notice. It was starting to become glaringly obvious that Pinkie wasn't going to go to sleep anytime soon, and Moon Apple herself found she was annoyingly wide awake.

"So what do you do anyway?" asked Pinkie, standing up and walking across to Moon Apple, sitting down on her bed. Moon Apple shifted along the bed slightly as Pinkie grinned.

"Just work," said Moon Apple. She didn't want to share any more information with Pinkie. She didn't have to either! It was personal stuff; she wasn't asking important questions of Pinkie- the pink pony was merely informing her anyway.

"Silly, that's not a proper answer," said Pinkie. "What kind of work?"

"Store based stuff," said Moon Apple, starting to get very annoyed. Not only was she loud, now she had invaded her space and was asking questions she obviously didn't want to answer.

"What type of stuff?"

"I don't want to say," said Moon Apple, turning her head away.

"Aw come on, you can tell your Auntie Pinkie all about it, I might be able to help?"

"Help?" asked Moon Apple suddenly standing up and stomping her hooves down on the floor so strongly the sound echoed around the cabin. Pinkie looked slightly surprised.

"And how exactly would you be able to help me? I find that sort of idea laughable at best!"

"I do know some things about stores…," started Pinkie.

Moon Apple didn't allow her to continue.

"You don't even know how to talk at an acceptable level, or _when_ to stop talking!" said Moon Apple. "I have tried, oh how I have tried my hardest to politely let you know I wasn't interested, but you just wouldn't stop talking!"

"I just wanted to be your frie-,"

"Oh act your damn age!" said Moon Apple, so shocked at being caught up in the moment that even as she spoke she realized how mean she was being. Trapped in such a small place had made her madder than she had realized. "My friends this, fun that, laughs this. Act like an adult! You annoying pony!"

Pinkie turned her head away, features vanishing into the shadows as Moon Apple tried to catch her breath. She had shocked herself with that outburst; she normally liked to be far more elegant. And…not such a jerk.

"I'm sorry," said Pinkie in a hurt tone. "I just thought that maybe I could make this trip a little more fun, maybe I could get to know you more."

"Just, just forget it," said Moon Apple. She'd really managed to do it this time hadn't she?

"I know sometimes I can be annoying. I know I can be loud, or not stop sometimes. But I like making ponies smile. I like seeing them laugh. I always tried my best to make my friends laugh; I worked so hard to get my family to smile when I was a filly."

"Look, just ignore it Pinkie," Moon Apple added regretfully.

"But that's who I am," said Pinkie looking Moon Apple in the eyes. "That's what I like being, and I know my friends liked it too. I'm going to go back over to my bed, and if you want to talk about anything I'll be there. Anything at all, I'll listen!"

Already Pinkie seemed freer from her gloomy expression. Moon Apple bowed her head and felt guilty as the pink pony slowly made her way across the cabin.

This wasn't going to be fun was it?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

Although the not so newcomer Pinkie had said no more since the outburst, and had smiled whenever Moon Apple met her gaze, she still found the sense of guilt insufferable and had an air of gloom hanging over her. She had to get out of this cabin, if only for a little while. But what excuse could she give now without looking even worse, even meaner? She had to think, but what was there-

"I'm going to look for something to eat!" said Moon Apple a little too eagerly and loudly as she suddenly stood up. She had stumbled on a way out of here. Pinkie paused for a moment, staring at her. Moon Apple froze- was she going to say something? What would it be?

"Okey dokey lokie," said Pinkie. "I hope you find something tasty!"

"Sure thing, I'll try to," said Moon Apple, excusing herself and stepping out of the cabin. That response had been odd- it wasn't just what she had said, but how she had said it. That happier tone Pinkie had used at the start had returned. It didn't do anything to help with the sense of guilt that currently weighed her down.

She continued walking along the carriage, noticing the next two cabins were completely empty. If Pinkie had chosen one of those cabins, Moon Apple would have been free, and Pinkie wouldn't have been insulted by a rude pony she thought to herself.

"Well would you look at that," she said, noticing the next cabin was also empty.

"Something the matter little missy?" asked a voice. "Is something not to your liking?"

Moon Apple quickly spun around to find herself face to face with the train conductor. The balding pony stared at her, waiting for a response.

"Oh no there's nothing really wrong at all," she replied, feeling very awkward. She hadn't seen him on her way out! "I was just talking to myself, that's all."

As he nodded she suddenly felt agitated and then realized why:

"And for your knowledge I am not a little missy, I am an employed pony working in a steady job."

"I didn't mean any offence."

"Well that's ok," said Moon Apple again feeling awkward. Two ponies insulted in such short time, way to go! She needed to change the subject desperately didn't she? But to what? Only one thing came to mind…

"Say do you know anything about the pony I'm sharing a cabin with?" she asked. "A pink pony?"

"Is she named Pinkie Pie?" asked the conductor.

She nodded her head: "That's the pony."

"She normally travels on here at this time of year for her holiday," said the conductor. "She's a very friendly pony who always likes to laugh. With ponies, not at them- she likes other ponies laughing too."

"Yeah I kind of know that," said Moon Apple in a guilty tone.

"She really likes to make others laugh. Especially since…well one time she took about two hundred balloons on board the train. She was almost lifted up in the air before she got to the station because she had filled some with helium for the fillies."

"Balloons?" asked Moon Apple. "That must have been annoying?"

"Not really," said the conductor shaking his head and smiling. "It was a dark, cold nasty blighter of a night so it was nice to have a bit of fun and get some respite. Pinkie even used static electricity to get some of the balloons stuck to her all night to amuse the fillies- and some of the adult ponies too."

"Huh," said Moon Apple. Well she guessed now she could truly rule out that Pinkie had been malicious with her constant talking- she just wanted to have a bit of fun. Annoying, but not malicious. Well at least that was one small positive.

"Some ponies can find her a bit too much," said the conductor, another twinge of guilt passing through Moon Apple. "But I always find her fun."

Moon Apple nodded, and suddenly realized having used it as an excuse she now found herself feeling very hungry.

"I don't suppose there is a snack shop or something on board is there?" she asked.

"I'm sorry miss…ma'am, not until we get to the next station and get some more food supplies. They'd run out at your station."

"Oh I see," said Moon Apple, her stomach choosing that moment to grumble loudly.

"Once again I'm sorry," said the conductor.

"Thank you anyway," said Moon Apple. The conductor nodded and continued down the carriage.

She guessed she now had no option other than to return to the cabin. What else could she do out here? And then, from nowhere a sudden fear gripped her. She had left all of her work documents alone with that pony! She might not do it deliberately, but she wouldn't put it past Pinkie to allow curiosity to overcome her. Or what if she had been hiding that she was really hurt, and tried to sabotage her work?

She ran back to the cabin, wobbling as the carriage shook. She pulled open the cabin door and there sat Pinkie busy doodling on a piece of paper. A piece of paper that _didn't _belong to Moon Apple.

"Hi there roommate!" said Pinkie smiling broadly. That just made Moon Apple feel guiltier.

"I just thought I'd try and come up with some cake design ideas," she explained.

"I see," said Moon Apple. "Cakes?"

"The on I'm currently planning has not four but five levels! Three chocolate and two icing!"

"So you make cakes?" Given the conductor's earlier tale Moon Apple wasn't surprised to find Pinkie might make cakes.

"Well sometimes I do," said Pinkie, noticing Moon Apple seemed genuinely interested this time. "And sometimes I do other things too. I worked with cakes a lot but I also made other things too!"

"A-ha," said Moon Apple sitting down on her own bed, a little bit closer to Pinkie this time. She didn't notice Pinkie was now using a quieter voice. Perhaps the rest of the trip wouldn't be-

A faint screech preceded Moon Apple falling off her bed and to the floor as the train came to a sudden halt.

"What'd you do that for, silly?" asked Pinkie Pie.

Moon Apple groaned.

"What is it now?"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"What now?" groaned Moon Apple as she picked herself up from the floor.

"I think the train stopped," said Pinkie, trying to sound helpful.

"Yeah I'd kind of figured that out by myself."

"I wonder why it stopped; we aren't at a station yet are we?" The pink pony rushed to the window and peered outside. Only trees, a darkening sky and hills in the distance stared back at her. "Oooo no station, I wonder why we stopped?"

"Maybe they're attaching a couple more carriages?" suggested Moon Appple. But then again why would they need to do that? The train was almost completely empty, on this carriage the only other passenger-pony she had seen was currently staring out the window. Perhaps, hopefully, it was just something routine, maybe a stop to wait for another train?

She hoped that that was the case.

Pinkie and Moon Apple turned their head as a gentle tapping came from the carriage doorway. The conductor stood in the doorway, one hoof resting against the glass, looking a little embarrassed.

"Hi Brandy!" said Pinkie in an excited tone. "What's going on with the train thingy?"

"Hello Pinkie Pie," said conductor Brandy. "I'm afraid the train has run into a slight problem."

Moon Apple felt her shoulders sag.

"Oh no, what is it?" asked Pinkie. "Do we have to get out and push?"

Brandy laughed briefly and shook his head.

"No Pinkie, nothing like that. I'm afraid a tree has fallen over on the tracks just a little way down from here. We've sent out a pony to go get the tree moving group but they probably won't be back for a while, so we're looking at a bit of a delay."

"Oh no," groaned Moon Apple to herself. There went the hope of arriving back home before the fillies had gone to school. As well as having to spend a few hours in a carriage with no food or entertainment (save for one Pinkie Pie).

Pinkie Pie glanced from Moon Apple, noticing the sad tone in her voice, to the train conductor and then back to the pony. Her attention then turned from the pony she had recently met to the window and what lay outside. A look of recognition passed over her face and a smile started to form which quickly grew into a grin.

"Say Brandy, we're about a thirty or forty minute walk from the next station right?" asked Pinkie.

"That we are."

"So I could walk there easily?"

"I guess…well I guess you could if you really wanted to," said Brandy in an unsure tone.

Pinkie nudged Moon Apple: "I know this place; I could walk you to the next station instead of staying here for hours and hours. But that would be fun too!"

"But the tree will still be here," said Moon Apple.

"Silly, the next station is like…ginormous! It has way more tracks than the other station we came from, with more trains coming from other places. There'll be another train going in the same direction as us right Brandy?"

The conductor glanced at his watch.

"In about sixty five minutes there should be a train arriving at the station that will be following our route too at the switchover."

Pinkie's grin had now almost consumed her face.

"What about it huh Apple Moon?" asked Pinkie.

Moon Apple! Thought the pony to herself.

"I'm not sure," came her reply. Supposedly Pinkie was ok, and a nice pony, but could she really be trusted? They had only known each other for two hours at most, not enough time to truly get to know another pony at all. Maybe once out in the countryside alone, separated from other ponies, she might reveal her true self. She didn't really want to end up being ponynapped or all chopped up and maybe put in some type of food…

"Aww come on, it'll be fun," said Pinkie. "It's really pretty outside and there's only one major hill that we have to climb."

Moon Apple turned to Brandy for assistance. However he was staring at Pinkie.

"Are you sure about this Pinkie?" he asked. "You haven't even known this pony for a day. What if she's weird or kidnaps you or something."

_Hey that's what I thought! _was Moon Apple's immediate thought.

"Aww don't be like that Brandy-wandy!" said Pinkie. "I know I can trust her…right?" asked Pinkie turning to face Moon Apple with her puppy-dog eyes activated.

"I guess so," said Moon Apple. She was certain she could run faster than Pinkie. "But why would you want to do this for me? It's probably cold outside now and getting dark…"

"Because nopony is going to miss family time on my watch!" said Pinkie. "I know how important it was to spend time with friends and family!"

"And you wouldn't…do anything strange?" asked Moon Apple.

"It's a Pinkie Promise," said Pinkie. "I'll get you to the station and then you can get home and be all '_hi family I'm back!'_ and have fun!"

"Well," Moon Apple sighed. She hoped she wasn't going to regret this. But who knew how many hours she might be stuck here if she said no? Many hours stuck with a pony who would realize she wasn't trusted.

"Ok Pinkie I'll go with you."

"Yay!" said Pinkie. "I'll just go get my stuff-oooh it's already packed, isn't that lucky?" she asked holding up her backpack.

Moon Apple couldn't help but smile faintly.

"I'll just put my things away too," she said, double checking her suitcase before clicking it closed. Didn't want that falling open as she marched along near the train tracks.

"I'll go open the door!" said Pinkie rushing out of the cabin and vanishing from view. Moon Apple went to follow her when Brandy briefly stood in her way.

"Yes?" she asked.

"You take care of her, don't let anything happen to her," he said.

"I wasn't planning on anything happening…?"

"That's good…just don't let her do any of her silly things- there aren't many ponies out there to help."

"Pinkie will be here next year too," said Moon Apple. "I promise."

"Pinkie Promise?" asked Brandy smiling. "I hope you get home on time."

"Thanks."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"Do you want me to take your case for you?" asked Pinkie as the duo stepped onto the slightly damp grass below. From here the train carriage seemed far larger than Moon Apple remembered.

"Oh no I couldn't let you do that," said Moon Apple. She didn't realize but this time she had refused the offer of help to be polite, rather than because she didn't want to give her stuff to Pinkie. She had packed this stuff; it was her job to carry it. Pinkie merely smiled and shifted her own backpack.

"Well if you're fine with carrying it that's a-ok with me!" said Pinkie. "Just wanted to offer to help!"

"Oh don't worry about me, I'm just worried about making you walk too far out here in the mud," replied Moon Apple, her tone far softer than it had been an hour earlier.

"Oh don't be silly, silly," said Pinkie. "I've walked _way loads _more than this before. But let's get crackin' we don't wanna spend all our time standing here and talking."

Moon Apple nodded. This time she found she didn't want to get moving so she could be away from Pinkie quicker- this time she didn't want to hold Pinkie up. The pony was helping her after all.

"Well come on then, follow me!" said Pinkie.

* * *

The duo had been walking for some time, the train tracks occasionally vanishing back into the countryside before coming back into view and promptly vanishing behind a bend again. The sound of a river had been heard in the background while Pinkie had been busy pointing out various landmarks and different locations she had explored with her friends. Sometimes her travelling partner asked questions; sometimes she was entranced by the stories. Moon Apple had yet to notice it but Pinkie Pie had- the business pony was now speaking much more easily with her. And smiling far more freely too.

"Say Moon Apple are you hungry?" asked Pinkie, interrupting the silence that had been caused by a lack of landmarks and as such, stories.

"I bit I guess," said Moon Apple, just as her stomach grumbled again loudly. "Ok, maybe I'm quite a bit hungry," she added.

Pinkie came to a halt and took her pack down from her back. She placed it on the floor and unzipped it, burying her face in the now open bag and rustling around. She soon re-emerged holding a large cookie.

"I only have a cookie, but you can have it if you like cookies," she said.

Again not noticing it Moon Apple smiled far more brightly as she took hold of the cookie. It looked and smelt delicious. For the briefest moment she glanced up and saw Pinkie eyeing the cookie. It wasn't a look of annoyance or jealously at losing the cookie- it was one of hunger. A look Moon Apple was currently far too aware of.

"Why don't we share it?" she suggested.

"Are you sure, your belly sounded really hungry just now," said Pinkie. "It was grumbling like a grumbly old pony grumbles!"

"Half and half," insisted Moon Apple. "You can have the bit with the larger chocolate chips because you're helping me."

"Ok!" said Pinkie, taking her half and swallowing it down in one gulp. "Mmm tasty!"

Moon Apple was more refined with her approach, taking a few small bites before pausing to brush the crumbs away from her mouth.

"We should almost be there now!" said Pinkie as the other pony finished her half of the cookie.

"Oh that's good."

"And I'm getting close to home too," said Pinkie.

"Oh," said Moon Apple, for the first time thinking she might miss Pinkie when this was all over.

"Yeah I like to visit home," said Pinkie. "Home is where the cake is after all," she added.

"I guess…that could be the case," said Moon Apple bemused.

"Do you think you'll have cake waiting for you at home?" asked Pinkie.

"Maybe…I hope so. I wouldn't be able to make one, so if there is going to be one, either mother will have made it or I'll have to buy one."

"Making a cake is easy!" said Pinkie.

"Not for me."

"Well I'm sure you find it easy to do things that I find hard," said Pinkie. "Like packing one of those cases without filling it up too much, or locking it and losing the keys!"

"We all have our own talents," said Moon Apple.

"Yeah, even if we don't get to use them too much when we get older," said Pinkie.

"Huh?"

"Just thinking about something," said Pinkie smiling. This time it was a forced smile. "Maybe it's just being so close to home."

"Really? Why's that?"

"I guess regrets…or something like that. Sometimes being home, sometimes travelling makes you think a bit too much. But look at me now; I'm just being silly aren't I?"

"Maybe?"

"Well come on Moon Apple, if my memory isn't completely wrong we should be at the station soon!"

Pushing branches out of the way Pinkie was proved to be correct as the duo stared down at the station waiting at the bottom of the hill. One or two ponies milled around on the platform, but no trains had yet turned up.

"The train will be here in about ten minutes I bet," said Pinkie. "Race you to the bottom?"

Moon Apple paused for a moment, thinking it over.

"Let's go," she said, promptly gripping the case handle tighter in her mouth.

"Yeah!"

* * *

Far muddier than she had ever expected to be when she first left the town, Moon Apple clambered on board the train, the new conductor given the mud caked pony a slightly odd look. Pinkie followed behind her with half a bushes worth of twigs stuck in her mane.

The train was fuller than the previous train, but the duo found an empty cabin. Moon Apple sat down, but Pinkie lingered in the doorway. She glanced around, looking a bit awkward for the first time.

"Well-,"

"Come on, sit down," said Moon Apple. Pinkie Pie grinned and stepped inside.

"Well, I got you here didn't I?" said Pinkie still panting from the race. "I never break a Pinkie Promise. Never have, never will!"

"You did keep your promise…thank you Pinkie Pie."

"No problem," said Pinkie leaning back as the train started to move.

"You know, I never did ask you where your destination is," said Moon Apple.

Pinkie sat upright.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"You know, I never did ask you where your destination is," said Moon Apple.

Pinkie Pie sat upright, and surprised the other pony by having a slightly saddened look cross her face. She turned away ever so slightly.

"Did I say something wrong? Do you not want to talk about it?" asked Moon Apple.

"Ponyville," said Pinkie quietly. She lowered her head the tiniest bit more.

"I didn't quite catch that…"

"Ponyville. I'm going to Ponyville."

Moon Apple looked surprised. Ponyville?

"That can't be right," said Moon Apple. "That place has been abandoned for years, ever since that apple or orange or whatever farm shut down."

"Apple farm," said Pinkie, her shoulders sagging. For the first time the middle aged pony truly looked like the years had caught up with her. In the brighter light the grey hairs running along her pink mane seemed all the more clearer. She smiled weakly, but this time showed off a lot more creases in her face, her eyes slightly wet.

"When the farm first shut down all of us still thought we could keep going," said Pinkie. "But other towns were developing quicker. More and more ponies left for other places. Applejack was the first to leave with her family after Granny Smith passed away."

Moon Apple said nothing, could say nothing. The kind mare, who had seemed far younger than her years mere minutes earlier suddenly looked far older as she spoke without any trace of the joy that normally infected her voice.

"Rainbow Dash had been given an invite to the Wonderbolts, but had held off for a couple of years to stay with us- but when Applejack left we knew it was coming to an end. She said she had to try- we couldn't say no- it had always been her dream. "

"Wonderbolts Rainbow Dash? Her?"

Pinkie nodded and for an instance looked brighter. "That Rainbow Dash."

Moon Apple said nothing more.

"Twilight Sparkle, the smart one I told you about ended up returning to help Celestia after Spike grew up and ran off because he was worried about hurting her."

For a moment she smiled genuinely: "Last I'd heard he was visiting her regularly, having finally gotten control over his adult dragon body."

Moon Apple gritted her teeth slightly, why all of times could she not think of anything to say now? All those weasel words to investors and customers, but nothing now?

"Fluttershy and Rarity tried to stay in Ponyville with me for as long as possible, but when the Cake family retired I knew my time there was coming to an end too. Rarity offered me a job at her boutique for a while, but with fewer ponies there we just…we just couldn't continue. She ended up following Sweetie Belle to Canterlot, and was far more successful there."

"Rarity? _That _Rarity?" asked Moon Apple. Pinkie nodded.

"Would you know, once upon a time we were all heroes. We fought Nightmare Moon, we fought Discord. We won both times. But nopony really cared in the end, it was all forgotten. For a while after Rarity left Fluttershy and I helped out at the school, but every few months the number of fillies there dropped. Soon that closed too, and there were just a few of us left, relying on the growing train links to get supplies."

"That sounds…," said Moon Apple, voice trailing away because she couldn't speak.

"Finally I decided I had to leave too. Fluttershy asked me to stay, to reconsider but we were the only two ponies left by then. She said goodbye to her various animal friends and set off for Cloudsdale. I ended up in the nearby town that had started killing off Ponyville in the first place."

She paused for a moment.

"That was many years ago," said Pinkie. "Nopony else tried to redevelop it. Every year I take my pre-holiday holiday and on the way back I stop off and walk back down there to say hello. I don't know why I do it, I normally just sit against one of the buildings and feel sad…but I can't just ignore my home."

"Pinkie I'm so sorry."

"Oh don't be silly, silly," said Pinkie in a monotone voice. "You made my trip today fun…eventually. If you hadn't have turned up I would have been sat all by myself getting all sad and angsty-wangsty," she added.

Moon Apple turned away, unable to face Pinkie just yet.

"Don't be sad Moonie," said Pinkie. "I'm just going home for a while."

Moon Apple slowly turned to face the older pony. It couldn't just end like this, wouldn't just end like this. She now knew there was something she had- no something she _wanted _to do. She shifted awkwardly.

"You know, if somepony wanted to show off Ponyville I wouldn't mind going with them," she suggested.

"But you have your family to go home to," protested Pinkie.

"Let's just call it a pre-holiday holiday," said Moon Apple. "I have often been told I should get outside more."

The gloomy look of Pinkie abated slightly.

"If we fill up on snacks I can take you on a tour," she said. "I can show you the farm, and where I met Twilight for the first time, and talk about Princess Celestia and well…other things."

"I'll get the snacks," said Moon Apple.

"And I'll eat them."

Moon Apple nodded.

"I'm going home!" said Pinkie. "And this time I'm bringing a new friend with me!"

As the duo continued to talk, arguing over which type of snack (and how many) to get the train continued onward with its journey, that station a short walk from Ponyville growing closer, and Pinkie returning to her more normal self.

"Ooooh do you think I'll run into you next year too?" she asked suddenly. "I'll have cake that time!"

Moon Apple couldn't help but smile.

"I'll keep a watch out for you next year. _Pinkie promise._"

"You can't break one of those," said Pinkie grinning.

"I know Pinkie."

"I think we're almost there now," said Pinkie as the station started to appear.

"I'm almost home!"


End file.
